Spurs come alive in second quarter to claim 51-44 halftime lead

After a slow start, strong San Antonio shooting in the second quarter boosted them to a 51-44 halftime advantage over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Tony Parker scored eight of his game-high 11 points in the second quarter as the Spurs hit 64.7 percent to extend their lead into double digits. Parker also has seven assists and a steal without a turnover in a solid start.

Richard Jefferson has 10 points and Manu Ginobili has added eight for San Antonio. Tim Duncan started despite missing practice this morning with flu-like symptoms and has scored only two points.

Rasual Butler leads the Clippers with 10 points. But the Spurs have done a good job against rookie sensation Blake Griffin, who has been limited to four points on 2-for-8 shooting.